Life-boat.



T. F. SHANAHAN.

LIFE BOAT.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.26.1915.

Patented Dec. 7, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET! T. F. SHAN-AHAN.

LIFE BOAT.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.26. 191s.

Patented Dec. 7, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2 T. F. SHANAHAN. LlFE BOAT.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.26. 1915.

Patented Dec. 7, 1915.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

Swuawboz barren srarns rarnnr orricn T THOMAS E. SHANAHAN, or JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

LIFE-BOAT.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS F. SHANA- HAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Jersey City, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented new and useful Improvements in Life-Boats, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relatesto life boats the object in view being to produce a boat of the class described of light weight construction while at the same time strong and practically indestructible in ordinary usage and of large passenger capacity, the said heat being of fire proof construction and carrying itsown motor which may be started instantly.

A further object of the invention is to provide a boat of the character specified which will admit of the same being quickly loaded with passengers who may as quickly escape therefrom in case of danger, the boat being further constructed-to provide a plurality of decks or cabins with hatches so arranged that the cabins may be cut off from each other and practically sealed agalnst the admission of water.v

With the above. and other objects in view, the invention consists in thenovel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as herein described, illustrated and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings :F1igure 1 is a side elevation of a life boat embodying the present invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical fore and aft section through the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section thereof.

The life boat contemplated in this invention comprises a stout keel or bottom 1, par-' allel sides 2, a tapering bow and a'square stern 4 which is undercut to form a counter 5 beneath which are arranged twin screw propellers 6. The boat alsocomprises a top deck 7 which is surroundedby a guard rail 8 enabling a largenumber of passengers to be carried on the deck if necessary. Located at a suitable elevation above the deck is a conning tower 9 supported by posts 10, access being had to the conning tower by means of a ladder or steps 11 provided with hand rails 12 at opposite sides thereof. Arranged at the front of the conning tower 9 is a plurality of signaling whistles 13 while arranged in front of the conmng tower s a search lamp 14 swivelcd upon a supporting post 15 the base 16 of which is fastened to the top deck 7. The search. lamp 14 is provided with an operating handle 17 by means of which the person occupying the connlng Application filed August 26, 1915.

the top deck.

Patented Dec. 7, 1915. Serial m. 47,432.

tower may swing the search lamp so as to illuminate objects such as buoys and also' transmit signals to other vessels. Davit rings 18 are firmly fastened to the deck 7 to enable the life boat as a whole to be raised and lowered by suitable means on the deck of a vessel such as the ordinary da'vits with which all vessels are equipped.

Between the top deck 7 and the bottom 1 01": the life boat there is arranged a. floor 19 either of metal or wood, the same being covered by an aluminum sheath 20. This floor 19 extends throughout the length and width of the boat and forms an upper main cabin 21 and a lower cabin or hold 22which is divided into compartments by means of bulk heads 23 and 24, thespace in front of the bulk head 23 forming a provision room 25 the same containing a water reservoir or tank 26. ,The space in rear of the bulk head 24 forms the engine room 27 in which is mounted an electric motor 28 driven by storagev batteries located in the battery room 29 comprised between the bulk head 24 and a stair case 30 which leads from the main cabin 21 downwardly into the hold 22, access to said stair way being had through a hatch way 31 which may be closed and sealed by a hatch 82.

j The main stair way 33 leads from the main cabin 21 upwardly through a hatch way 34 in the upper deck 7, the hatch way 34 being adapted to be closed by means of a hatch 35 having a watertight joint with Just below the hatch way 34 there is a switch button 36 for turning on electric lamps 37 in the main cabin 21 and in any other parts of the boatwhich need illuminating.

The main cabin 21 is entered from one or both sides by means of a number of doors 38 provided with packing strips to make water tight joints. These doors extend throughout the entire length of the boat so that the boat may be very quickly filled or emptied. Between the doors are arranged windows 39 and near the top of the main cabin there are ventilators 40.'

At the bow of the boat, there is a large pilot window 41 of extra thick glass. The helmsman sits in the forward end of the main cabin just back of the pilot window 41 where he controls the engine and rudder, said pilot window being located above the load water line indicated at 42. The propeller shafts 43 are journaled in'bearings 44,

4:5, 16, &7 l8 and are provided With fans use of a. suitable number 7 described may e 9 for keeping in motion the air in the hold and causing a circulation ofair whichflwill preventoverheating of the electric motor 28. 3

" The construction of the boatinvolves the over. which is a sheathing 51 ofxal'uminum the gage or thickness of Which is determined by the sizeand capacity of the life boat. V 7 One or more of th'elife boats hereinabove vessel and while having. a passenger carrypassengers may be ing capacity greater than anumber ofsmall boats which would occupy the same space,

thei'life boatof this invention is capable of being loaded with passengers 111a comparatively short space of time and the operation of launchingior lowering the life boat does notre quire any greateriperiod oftime than thelaunchingof a single small life boat such steering mechanism while another operator on the upper" deck may observe conditions and transmit proper signalsby means of the whistles and the search lamp hereinabove referred to. i All of the doors 38 and the vmain entrance hatch 35 are renderedwater Copies of this patent may be obtainedfor ti htby of steel frames 50 b carried on the deck of a) deck, ventilating boat cannot" capsize orthe boatchaveentered the same.

Having thus described my lnventlon, I

, claim p 7 A life, boat comprising a stout bottom or keel, steel frames secured thereto and forming the outline of the sides, deck, bow and stern, a sheathing of aluminumfastened to said frames, a top deck, a second decklocated between the top deck and'the bottom of the'boat, an aluminum sheathing for'said second deck, bulk heads in thelower compartment or hold forming an engine'room, a provision room and a storage battery room, twin screw propellers drivenby said motors, fans on the motor shafts, a plurality of doors giving access through the sides of the boat into the main cabin just beneath the top means for said main cabin, a main hatch 'over leading fromthetop hatch way to the floor of themam cabin, another stair way leading from the floor of the main cabin down to the top deck, a stair way V 7 suitable packing materiahthe same being tightly closed after the occupants of the floorof the hold, a conning towerarranged at an elevation above the top deck, and; visual andaudible signals arranged'ad jacent to and controlled from said conning tower; m V V Y 'Intestimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

Witnesses: V V IIARRY'EL BUTTERFIELD, MARGARET BUTTERFIELD.

THOMAS r. siiANAHAN;

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of'Patems. Washington, D. G. 

